Parenting, or grand-parenting, can be exceptionally tiring on some days. However, knowing a couple of parenting hacks (no matter how small they may seem) can make your load a lot lighter – such as putting ketchup under the hot dog (not over) to minimize the mess. Here are 17 parenting shortcuts brought to you by Asha Dornfest, a master of parent hacks and author of Parent Hacks: 134 Genius Shortcuts for Life With Kids.
1. Use a dish drainer to organize drawing supplies.
2. Turn a bookshelf into a wardrobe. Just pull a shelf or two out and pop in a closet rod.
3. Help your kid climb into bed with a cookie sheet step, wedging it under the mattress and leaving only about 4 inches exposed.
4. When at a public restroom, trick the flush sensor by covering it with toilet paper.
5. Keep shirts freshly pressed by pressing small clothes with a flat iron.
6. Trim your kids’ fringe with nose-hair scissors. They are safer to use.
7. Put the ketchup under the hot dog to minimize the mess.
8. Flatten a toilet paper roll to slow its rotation – it will stop your kid from overzealous paper-pulling.
9. Expand the waistband of your pre-pregnancy jeans with a ponytail holder.
10. In need of some healing after child birth? Freeze a sanitary pad – it enables you to feel more comfortable.
11. If you use cloth diapers, reuse a peri bottle as a diaper sprayer.
12. Put socks over footie pajamas to keep feet in place.
13. Turn lace up shoes into slip-ons. Replace shoelaces with elastic.
14. Sort breast-milk bottles in six-pack cartons.
15. Use a bottle nipple to dispense medication.
16. Keep germs from dirty tissues in a tissue box trash can.
17. Keep the pieces of a wooden puzzle in place by sliding them into panty hose.
